J. Maximilian Fels
A5060050904- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Hepatitis B Virus Studies
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
- Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders
- Fibroblast Growth Factor Research
- Virus-based gene therapy research
- vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Sepsis Diagnosis and Treatment
- Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects
- Immune responses and vaccinations
- Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
- Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
- Cell Adhesion Molecules Research
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
2013-2025
Harvard University
2022
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
2022
Seeking broad protection As scientists develop therapeutic antibodies and vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the risk of emergent coronaviruses makes it important to also identify broadly protective antibodies. Wec et al. isolated characterized hundreds viral spike protein SARS-CoV-2 from memory B cells a survivor 2003 outbreak caused by related coronavirus, SARS-CoV. In both these viruses, facilitated entry binding angiotensin-converting enzyme...
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health crisis caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and there critical need to produce large quantities of high-quality SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein for use in both clinical basic science settings. To address this need, we have evaluated expression purification two previously reported S constructs Expi293F ExpiCHO-S cells, different cell lines selected increased expression. We show that cells enhanced...
A block to viral cell entry Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus is a tickborne that can cause severe disease and even death in humans. Disease occurrence linked the geographic range of tick vector, climate change may increase this range. Infection host cells requires fusion glycoprotein Gc, which main target neutralizing antibodies. Mishra et al . build on previous work identified combination two Gc-targeting antibodies gave postexposure protection an animal model. The authors determined...
The U.S. FDA has issued emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for multiple investigational monoclonal antibody (MAb) therapies the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19.
Convalescent plasma with severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies (CCP) may hold promise as a treatment for 2019 (COVID-19). We compared the mortality and clinical outcome of patients COVID-19 who received 200 mL CCP spike protein IgG titer ≥ 1:2430 (median 1:47,385) within 72 hours admission propensity score-matched controls cared at medical center in Bronx, between April 13 May 4, 2020. Matching criteria were age, sex, body mass index, race, ethnicity,...
Broadly protective vaccines against known and pre-emergent coronaviruses are urgently needed. Critical to their development is a deeper understanding of cross-neutralizing antibody responses induced by natural human coronavirus (HCoV) infections. Here, we mined the memory B cell repertoire convalescent SARS donor identified 200 SARS-CoV-2 binding antibodies that target multiple conserved sites on spike (S) protein. A large proportion display high levels somatic hypermutation cross-react with...
ABSTRACT Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is an enveloped, negative-sense RNA that spread by ticks across Europe, Africa, and Asia causes a lethal disease in humans (~30%–40% case fatality). There are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics. Antibody-based therapeutics targeting the CCHFV surface glycoproteins Gn Gc, which responsible for viral attachment fusion during entry, promising therapeutic approach. We previously isolated three broadly neutralizing Gc-targeting...
ABSTRACT Coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) is a global health crisis caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARS-CoV-2 ), and there critical need to produce large quantities of high-quality Spike S protein for use in both clinical basic science settings. To address this need, we have evaluated expression purification two previously reported constructs Expi293F ™ ExpiCHO-S cells, different cell lines selected increased secreted glycoproteins. We show that...
The clinical outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection varies widely between individuals. Machine learning models can support decision making in healthcare by assessing fatality risk patients that do not yet show severe signs COVID-19. Most predictive rely on static demographic features and values obtained upon hospitalization. However, time-dependent biomarkers associated with COVID-19 severity, such as antibody titers, substantially contribute to the development more accurate models. Here we trained...
The E1 membrane protein of rubella virus (RuV) is a class II fusion structurally related to the proteins alphaviruses, flaviviruses, and phleboviruses. Virus entry mediated by low pH-dependent reaction through E1's insertion into cell refolding stable homotrimer. Unlike other described proteins, RuV contains 2 loops, which complex metal ion between them interactions with residues N88 D136. Insertion target membrane, fusion, infection require calcium are blocked alanine substitution or Here...
The Ebola virus (EBOV) envelope glycoprotein (GP) mediates the fusion of virion membrane with susceptible target cells during infection. While proteolytic cleavage GP by endosomal cathepsins and binding cellular receptor Niemann-Pick C1 protein (NPC1) are essential steps for entry, detailed mechanisms which these events promote remain unknown. Here, we applied single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) imaging to investigate structural dynamics EBOV trimeric ectodomain,...
Summary There is an urgent need for vaccines and therapeutics to prevent treat COVID-19. Rapid SARS-CoV-2 countermeasure development contingent on the availability of robust, scalable, readily deployable surrogate viral assays screen antiviral humoral responses, define correlates immune protection, down-select candidate antivirals. Here, we describe a highly infectious recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus bearing spike glycoprotein S as its sole entry that closely resembles authentic agent...
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to place an immense burden on societies and health care systems. A key component of COVID-19 control efforts is serological testing determine the community prevalence SARS-CoV-2 exposure quantify individual immune responses prior infection or vaccination. Here, we describe a laboratory-developed antibody test that uses readily available research-grade reagents detect...
Autoinflammatory disease (AID) manifests from the dysregulation of innate immune system and is characterised by systemic persistent inflammation. Clinical heterogeneity leads to patients presenting with one or a spectrum phenotypic signs, leading difficult diagnoses in absence clear genetic cause. We used separate genome-wide SNP analyses investigate five signs AID (recurrent fever, arthritis, breed specific secondary dermatitis, otitis reactive amyloidosis) canine comparative model, pure...
Abstract Convalescent plasma with severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies (CCP) may hold promise as treatment for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We compared the mortality and clinical outcome of patients COVID-19 who received 200mL CCP a Spike protein IgG titer ≥1:2,430 (median 1:47,385) within 72 hours admission to propensity score-matched controls cared at medical center in Bronx, between April 13 May 4, 2020. Matching criteria were age, sex, body mass...
Genomic surveillance of viral isolates during the 2013-2016 Ebola virus epidemic in Western Africa, largest and most devastating filovirus outbreak on record, revealed several novel mutations. The responsible strain, named Makona, carries an A-to-V substitution at position 82 (A82V) glycoprotein (GP), which is associated with enhanced infectivity vitro Here, we investigated mechanistic basis for this enhancement as well interplay between A82V a T-to-I residue 544 GP, also modulates cell...
Ebola virus is a medically relevant responsible for outbreaks of severe disease in western and central Africa, with mortality rates reaching as high 90%. Despite considerable effort, there are currently no FDA-approved therapeutics or targeted interventions available, highlighting the need development this area. Host-cell invasion represents an attractive target antivirals, several drug candidates have been identified; however, our limited understanding complex viral entry process challenges...
Abstract The continuing emergence of viral pathogens and their rapid spread into heavily populated areas around the world underscore urgency for development highly effective vaccines to generate protective antiviral Ab responses. Many established newly emerging pathogens, including HIV Ebola viruses, are most prevalent in regions which Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection remains endemic vaccination at birth with M. bovis bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is widely used. We have investigated...
The COVID-19 global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to place an immense burden on societies and healthcare systems. A key component of control efforts is serologic testing determine the community prevalence SARS-CoV-2 exposure quantify individual immune responses prior infection or vaccination. Here, we describe a laboratory-developed antibody test that uses readily available research-grade reagents detect in patient blood samples...
The Bronx was an early epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in United States. We conducted temporal genomic surveillance 104 SARS-CoV-2 genomes across from March to October 2020. Although local structure lineages mirrored those New York City and State, sampling revealed a dynamic changing landscape diversity. Mapping trajectories mutations, we found that although some became “endemic” Bronx, other, novel mutations rose prevalence late summer/early fall. Geographically resolved enabled us...